Lisa Salomon at Surfrider Foundation NYC: How She Got Here & Protecting Our Oceans

Surfrider Foundation is dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of the world’s ocean, waves and beaches, for all people, through a powerful activist network. Surfrider Foundation NYC is the local chapter of the organization, representing the five boroughs of NYC. Started in 2001, they have helped create a positive impact for the area’s coasts and local communities by passing local and state laws such as New York’s ban on plastic bags, passing the ‘straw upon request’ bill, stopping the Williams Pipeline, and passing the Climate Change Superfund Act. They work on local programs such as running a successful water testing program at Rockaway Beach to make sure it is safe to surf and swim in the water. They host beach cleanups and other events and collect over 1,000 pounds of trash every year. 

We sat down with Lisa Salomon from Surfrider Foundation NYC to hear how she got into this work and to learn more about the work of the chapter.

Hi, tell us what you do and where you’re based.

I’m the New York City Chapter Manager for Surfrider Foundation. I started in July 2021, so it’s been over three years now. I live in Astoria, in Queens, and I’ve lived in New York since I was 10. I love living in NYC because of the access to so many different cultures and diversity, and being able to go to any museum on any given day, always having so many different things to do. I just really love that aspect. You feel like you’re always learning new things living in New York.

When did you start thinking about the environment and climate change?

Growing up,  my mom loved the beach. It’s really her happy place. So I just remember going on vacation to the beach, even in the winter when it was so cold. There are so many pictures of me when I was little, being at the beach. So I think it was something about that upbringing that connected me to the environment, without really knowing it at the time. And then as I got older, it became clear that we need to protect places like that.

But it wasn’t until high school that I got interested in environmental issues, because they don’t teach it. And my interest came just from learning on my own and seeing what we were facing in the world. My school had an environmental club that I joined to get more involved in school activities, and I really enjoyed it because it wasn’t just focused on the environmental threats happening on our planet, it was more about how we can come up with solutions and how we can make our school more environmentally friendly. So I just really loved that we were focusing on the positive aspects and solutions. Then when I went to college, I majored in environmental studies to dive deeper into everything. And of course there are so many huge problems, but my thinking has always been that  there has to be solutions and I wanted to be part of that.

Where did you land after college?

After college, I got a job with a nonprofit that was working on higher education affordability, public transportation access, and different things that were happening in New York City and New York State. I learned a lot about advocacy work, but after a few years, I thought, I really want to focus on just environmental issues because that’s what I’m really passionate about and it’s what I studied. So when I saw the job position for Surfrider Foundation in New York City, it felt like the perfect fit, what I was meant to do.

Working on climate can definitely feel like a calling. It also can be heavy material. What keeps you going? 

There are so many positive things that we’re doing to make our environment better. Things that are really working and moving us forward. And that’s not to say that there aren’t moments where I feel frustrated, but I don’t feel as negative about it as I think some other people do. And that’s because I see the amazing work firsthand, and I’m working with volunteers every day who devote their extra time out of their day to help. It’s so inspiring to see that there is a movement of people who are so passionate about our environment and moving things forward. And no matter what’s going on in the world, people are still wanting to do the work. That drives me forward.

What are your favorite ways to connect with nature in NYC? Do you have a favorite city park?

This might be too obvious a response but I do love Central Park. I try to go often and take long walks around the park. No matter how many times I’ve gone, I’m always in awe of how beautiful it is. So many parts of the park are so different from one another and you can always discover new things there.

Tell us about Surfrider Foundation NYC and some of the work the chapter focuses on.

Surfrider Foundation has over 75 chapters in the U.S. and over 100 student clubs. In New York City, we’re the chapter that’s representing the five boroughs, and it’s been around since 2001. Aside from me, the entire chapter is powered by volunteers – it’s amazing.

As a chapter, we decide what programs to work on, and some are created at the national level, but we tailor them to local New York City and state issues. For example, one national Surfrider program is called the Water Task Force, which is a water testing program. We test out the water at Rockaway Beach to make sure that it’s clean enough to be able to surf and swim in. 

Last year, the biggest bill we focused on getting passed was the Climate Change Superfund Act, which is a New York State bill following the model of making polluters pay for the climate damage they’ve caused. It would bring in billions of dollars every year for over 25 years to work on climate resilient projects, like updating our roads, our transit system, and just being ready for other climate damages that could happen in New York. And after passing both the Senate and the assembly last June, the governor signed it into law at the very end of last year. A major win!

Another big campaign we’ve worked on in the past is stopping the Williams pipeline. That was going to be a fossil fuel pipeline that would have gone through New York and New Jersey, and we’ve been able to stop them multiple times. 

A lot of the bills that we’re working on right now are tackling plastic pollution, and we know that plastic is related to fossil fuels that are causing climate change. A big priority for this year is New York’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) bill, which shifts the responsibility of dealing with plastic pollution from consumers to the manufacturers. They have to be held accountable, and they should have to significantly reduce their plastic packaging, plus the toxic chemicals that are associated with that. If we were to pass this bill this year, it would be the strongest EPR bill that’s out there, and it would really show that we are leaders on climate issues. And then other states and countries would follow.

How can people help with getting bills passed?

Signing a petition is a great first step, and it really does make a difference. Maybe even send it to three friends, and then in just a few minutes, you just did something good that also feels good. Actions like that really drive us forward as a nonprofit because we can then take those signatures and get attention for it. Showing strength in numbers makes elected officials listen, which by the way is their job! With the Climate Superfund Act, we did a petition drive along with our coalition organizations, and we got thousands of signatures that we were able to deliver to the governor. And it made a huge impact to show that this many people in New York care about climate and want action. We also do lobby visits and lobby meetings where you’re actually meeting with your elected officials, and some people love doing that because it’s a direct action.

What are some of the gaps that the New York chapter fills that local government or other entities aren’t addressing?

A good example is the water testing that I mentioned we do at Rockaway Beach. The Parks Department only tests from May to September, but it’s just not realistic to think that people are only going to be in the water from May to September, especially with warming climates and warming oceans. Some New Yorkers are going in year-round. So at the New York City chapter, we test every single week over the entire year. In terms of climate resiliency projects, we work with other local nonprofits at Rockaway Beach to redo all the dunes along the coastline and add more plants to help with flooding from hurricanes to protect the community living there. That’s work that’s driven by nonprofits.

Are there any initiatives you wish the chapter could work on this year?

Yes, one thing at the national level that Surfrider just launched is our Climate Action Program, which specifically looks at nature-based solutions to combat climate change. So that’s something that would be amazing to work on in New York, to come up with bigger scale climate resilient projects, and determine how to protect our community with them. But those kinds of projects cost a lot of money to do, because those are not just little plots of land, rather these nature-based solutions would cover several blocks or big areas of land. So we’d need to find the funding for it, but I think eventually we’ll get there. 

How can Gen E readers get involved in the New York chapter?

Donating through the Gen E app is already a great first step. It really makes an impact for our local chapter, so to have the support of Gen E members shows that they want to put their money towards something positive. In terms of other local actions to get involved, just showing up to an event to hear about the work we’re doing is also great. Some of our most devoted volunteers today started out by just coming to a chapter meeting or a beach cleanup and said, hey, I have a free afternoon or a free evening, and I just want to do something. They learn more about the organization and the work that we do and end up really loving being involved. It can also be just showing up here and there, and we appreciate all of it so much.

Finally, the question on everyone’s minds: do you have to surf to be part of Surfrider? And do you surf?!

I do not surf, and I’ve never surfed in my entire life. I’m pretty clumsy and don’t have the best balance, so I feel like it would be really hard. But people keep trying to get me in the water to try! I think when people think of Surfrider, they might think, ‘oh, it’s a group of surfers’, and it’s really not. It’s true that it was originally founded by surfers 40 years ago, but that’s just not at all the case today, especially when thinking about New York. I mean, yes, some people obviously surf at Rockaway Beach, but so many of our volunteers are just environmental advocates and they’ve never surfed. So you absolutely don’t have to be a surfer to get involved!

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Here at Gen E, we’ve done the heavy lifting by narrowing down a list of environmental nonprofits doing the most impactful, innovative, and scalable work. These high-performing orgs are working on everything from clean energy to conservation. If you’d like to donate to the NYC Chapter of Surfrider Foundation, they are one of our approved nonprofit beneficiaries and can be added to your Environmental Portfolio at any time. 

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